Suntou Susso, Natalie Holmes, and Sam Brookes

Following two memorable nights, Bristol Song Circle returns to Rough Trade Bristol on Wednesday 11 November. In our cosy, seated setting, three songwriters take it in turns to perform their songs and talk about how they came to be. It’s part gig, part interview, and part songwriting get-together; an evening for hearing great songs and getting under their bonnet.

Suntou Susso brings something rather special to the circle. A multi-instrumentalist, singer, and composer from The Gambia, he was born into the Griot tradition, a 700-year-old Mandinka lineage of musicians and storytellers preserving history and culture. His primary instrument is the kora, a 22-string harp-lute, and his music draws on Afro-Manding traditions alongside folk, jazz, funk, and soul. His multi-award-winning second album “Jaliya Silokang (The Path of a Griot)” was released in 2025, with 2026 bringing a 29-date UK solo tour.

Natalie Holmes is a Bristol-based alt-pop songwriter whose music moves between the intimate and the experimental. Her self-produced debut album “Vitamin Be” earned praise from BBC Radio 2, BBC 6 Music, Clash and EARMILK, while her work as a vocalist includes performances at the Hollywood Bowl and Royal Albert Hall. Holmes’ inventive second album “Opposite Day” arrived last year, blending dreamy soundscapes, introspective ballads, and upbeat anthems.

Sam Brookes is an alternative folk artist with a remarkable four-octave voice, drawing comparisons with both Tim and Jeff Buckley. His 2011 debut earned him a Sunday Times ‘Breaking Act’ nod, while Kairos was named one of The Independent’s best albums of 2014. His acclaimed third album, Black Feathers, is a haunting meditation on grief, produced by Grammy-nominated Dom Monks (Big Thief, Laura Marling, Nick Cave). With his soaring voice and intimate songwriting, Brookes is a captivating performer, and the title track from Black Feathers recently featured in Sky’s The Day of the Jackal.

Just one more thing… As always, the evening will be hosted by Blair Dunlop, who is more inquisitive than Columbo, and (we suspect) a much better songwriter to boot. With his new album “What Still Survives” released on 30 October, we’re hoping he’ll be persuaded to slip a song or two of his own into the evening.

Think of it as wandering into a private jam session, pulling up a chair, and staying a whole lot longer than planned.